Belle looked to her mother and saw her face was earnest. A look Belle knew she couldn’t deny no matter how much she wanted to walk with Jack and his dogs and, she was forced to admit, she very, very much wanted to walk with Jack and his dogs.
“Of course,” Belle said to her Mom and turned back to Jack to finish what she’d started but instead asking him to delay his walk a bit but Jack spoke first.
“I enjoy your company when we’re out with the dogs but I don’t want you in that weather, poppet. The path gets slippery in the rain,” Jack told her.
Belle looked to the windows. It was late evening but the day was not done as it stayed light until very late during summers in England. However, it was dark as night outside. The lightning and thunder had ceased but the rain was falling hard, heavy and steady and had been since that afternoon.
Belle’s eyes went back to Jack and she nodded.
“I won’t be long, love,” he finished on a small smile.
Belle nodded again and returned his small smile.
“Well, I’m going in search of Myrtle and Lewis. If there’s any time they’ll show themselves, it’ll be during a spooky, dark storm,” Yasmin declared, throwing down her napkin and standing.
“It was a bright, sunshiny day when I saw them,” Belle informed Yasmin.
“Same here,” Mom added.
Yasmin waved her hand in front of her face. “Matters not, everyone knows ghosts like a good old storm,” she said with authority then continued. “I’m off, anyone want to join me?”
“You go on, darling, I’ll find you in a bit,” Joy said.
“You got it,” Yasmin replied and left the room.
The minute she did, Joy turned to Jack and noted quietly, “I’m concerned about her.”
Belle’s eyes slid to Jack and she saw he was watching the door Yasmin just used, his jaw was tense and his chin lifted in acknowledgement of his mother’s words.
“Why are you concerned?” Lila asked.
“She’s trying to hide it but I can tell, this latest divorce is taking its toll,” Joy answered. “Quincy is a good man and he adores her. At first I think he was confused and thought he could talk her ‘round. That didn’t work and now he’s very angry that she’s doing this.”
Belle was surprised at this news, thus she shared, “Yasmin told me about him when she was in my shop. She didn’t make him sound like a good man.”
“Most of what she told you is likely untrue,” Jack explained and Belle’s startled eyes went to his. “Not that she’s lying but exaggerating or telling tales, not to convince you but to convince herself. Yasmin has a habit of sabotaging her happiness.”
Before Belle could respond, Joy continued, “Her first husband was a bit wild, just like Yasmin, but he loved her too. They burnt bright. Therefore, eventually they burnt out. It was probably for the best though he too was a good man and would have done anything for her.” Joy’s eyes moved to Jack. “Yasmin has always had good taste in men. She’s just constantly throwing them away.”
Belle felt a funny, very unpleasant feeling steal through her at this reminder that Jack and Yasmin used to be an item. She’d been informed of that upon meeting them but it hadn’t crossed her mind since. Mainly because Yasmin didn’t act like an ex-girlfriend but like an adopted sister/daughter.
Her mind moved to Yasmin opening the hidden bar cabinet and how Yasmin knew exactly where to go and what to do.
Then her mind, which often liked to torture her, moved to the couch where Jack held her, kissed her and touched her and she wondered if he’d done the same to Yasmin there.
She licked her lips and her eyes caught on her grandmother’s face.
Gram was smiling at her. It was a small smile and meant to be a reassuring one and Belle knew Gram knew her thoughts.
This small smile normally would work on Belle and had many, many times in the past.
But, at that moment, for some reason, it didn’t.
“Have you talked to her?” Mom asked, breaking Belle out of her tortured thoughts.
“She won’t listen,” Joy answered.
“Maybe you should try,” Lila suggested gently.